The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has granted Shiv Sena (UBT) permission to hold its Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park on October 20, clearing the way for the party’s annual event at one of Mumbai’s most politically significant public grounds. The permission has been issued by the civic body’s G-North ward with conditions covering sound levels, ground protection and the duration of the programme.
Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, was the only political party to apply for the ground for this year’s Dussehra rally, according to a report by Navbharat Times. The application was submitted by party MP Anil Desai. No application was submitted by the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde for the same venue.
The civic permission allows the event to continue only until 10 pm. The organisers have also been directed to ensure that sound does not travel beyond the ground, in line with conditions based on Maharashtra Pollution Control Board rules. The permission prohibits the organisers from spreading soil on the ground, an apparent condition aimed at preventing damage to the public space during the gathering.
The BMC has required the organisers to submit a registered undertaking on a stamp paper worth ₹500, guaranteeing compliance with the conditions. A security deposit of ₹20,000 can be forfeited if the ground is damaged, misused or if any of the permission conditions are violated.
The decision comes against the backdrop of competing claims over Shivaji Park after the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena. In that year, both the Shinde-led faction and Shiv Sena (UBT) applied to hold their Dussehra rallies at the ground. The dispute reached the court, after which permission was granted to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. The Shinde-led faction subsequently began holding its rally at the Bandra-Kurla Complex.
The venue question has remained an important part of Mumbai’s political and civic calendar. In 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) and other parties applied for the ground, but some applications were later withdrawn, leaving the ground available to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party. Last year, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena held its rally at BKC, while Shiv Sena (UBT) used Shivaji Park.
This year’s permission also comes amid speculation that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray could appear alongside Uddhav Thackeray at the rally. The two leaders have appeared together at several public events in recent months, but the report does not establish that Raj Thackeray will attend the October 20 programme.
For the civic administration, the permission places the focus on enforcing event conditions at a public ground used for large gatherings. The BMC’s stated next requirements are the submission of the registered undertaking and compliance with the 10 pm closing time, sound restrictions and ground-protection conditions during the rally.
